11 Literature-Themed Coloring Books

BY Alvin Ward

March 10, 2017

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Coloring books have been making quite the comeback in recent years, and now, you can color in almost anything you can imagine. That's especially true for book lovers—there is a whole smorgasbord of different literature-themed coloring books to choose from. If you ever imagined Harry Potter in Slytherin colors or Anne Shirley with black hair, now is the time to make those dreams a reality.

1. WUTHERING HEIGHTS; $12

Emily Brontë's gothic novel paints a pretty vivid picture of the Yorkshire moors, and the misty landscapes and brooding characters make for excellent subjects in a coloring book. Each illustration is coupled with a quote from the book, so you can relive the drama once again as you color.

2. COLOR ME JANE: A JANE AUSTEN ADULT COLORING BOOK; $9

The sparkling world of Jane Austen offers up a whole slew of designs and clothing to fall under the tip of your colored pencil. Illustrated by Jacqui Oakley, the book is inspired by all of Austen's greatest stories, from Pride and Prejudice to Sense and Sensibility. The 80-page book offers characters, patterns, and accessories that all need a splash of color.

3. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES; $10

Anne Shirley might not have been able to get rid of her carrot-colored locks, but with this coloring book, you can give her the raven- or auburn-hued hair she always wanted. Unlike other coloring books, this one offers a coherent storyline that unfurls as you color. Illustrations are done by Jae-Eun Lee, who breathes new life into the iconic characters.

4. ALICE IN WONDERLAND; $10

The surreal and colorful world of Wonderland is a prime coloring book candidate because it welcomes bold and adventurous choices. If you want to give the Mad Hatter pinstripes and Alice a black dress, no one's stopping you—just don't mess with the Red Queen. Amily Shen gives the world and its characters a highly detailed look and even adds in new elements, like Alice's tiny bowler hat.

5. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA; $11

6. TOLKIEN'S WORLD; $4

This unofficial coloring book takes inspiration from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. There are over 90 pages in the book that come from six different artists. You can enjoy coloring all the fantastical locations and creatures, including elves, orcs, and hobbits.

7. HARRY POTTER; $12

Enter the magical world of Hogwarts once more with this new series of coloring books. This book has over 90 pages just waiting for your colored pencils to give them life. When you're finished, you can try one of the other books in the series, like Magical Creatures, Magical Places & Characters, or Magical Artifacts.

8. ESCAPE TO SHAKESPEARE'S WORLD; $4

9. EDGAR ALLAN POE: AN ADULT COLORING BOOK ; $8

You're going to need a lot of black and red before diving into this Poe-themed coloring book. Illustrator Odessa Begay brings the creepy motifs of Poe's work to each page, which are all laid out on thick, high-quality paper.

10. THE DR. SEUSS COLORING BOOK; $12

11. A GAME OF THRONES; $13

This is not a coloring book for the faint of heart—besides the graphic content, the intricate linework makes for some intensely difficult coloring. You can color the Weirwood trees, house sigils, and scheming characters from the books.

Fans of Broadway hit Hamilton will soon be able to dine like the Founding Fathers: As Eater reports, a new Alexander Hamilton-inspired cookbook is slated for release in fall 2017.

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Called The Hamilton Cookbook: Cooking, Eating, and Entertaining in Hamilton’s World, the recipe collection by author Laura Kumin “takes you into Hamilton’s home and to his table, with historical information, recipes, and tips on how you can prepare food and serve the food that our founding fathers enjoyed in their day,” according to the Amazon description. It also recounts Hamilton’s favorite dishes, how he enjoyed them, and which ingredients were used.

Recipes included are cauliflower florets two ways, fried sausages and apples, gingerbread cake, and apple pie. (Cue the "young, scrappy, and hungry" references.) The cookbook’s official release is on November 21—but until then, you can stave off your appetite for all things Hamilton-related by downloading the musical’s new app.

While reading The Lord of the Rings saga, it's hard not to notice J.R.R. Tolkien’s clear love of nature. The books are replete with descriptions of lush foliage, rolling prairies, and coniferous forests. A new botany book builds on that knowledge. Entertainment Weekly reports that Flora of Middle-Earth: Plants of J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium provides fantasy-loving naturalists with a round-up of plants that grow in Middle-earth.

Written by University of Florida botanist Walter Judd, the book explores the ecology, etymology, and importance of over 160 plants. Many are either real—coffee, barley, wheat, etc.—or based on real-life species. (For example, pipe-weed may be tobacco, and mallorns are large trees similar to beech trees.)

Using his botany background, Judd explores why Tolkien may have felt compelled to include each in his fantasy world. His analyses are paired with woodcut-style drawings by artist Graham Judd, which depict Middle-earth's flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and shrubs in their "natural" environments.